The present invention relates to power producing devices or systems, and more particularly to a high heat producing system which encapsulates a deflected rotating laser beam in a chamber and propagates it through a gaseous medium within such chamber. The heat energy of the deflected rotating laser beam agitates the molecules of the gaseous or fuel medium such that the temperature of the gaseous medium increases to at least about two thousand (2,000xc2x0 F.) degrees Fahrenheit, thereby increasing the temperature of the high heat producing device. In the preferred embodiment, the high heat producing device is in direct heat transfer with a working fluid in an expansion chamber for powering, for example, a turbine or the like.
Systems which convert heat energy to mechanical or electrical sources of power are known. For example, some turbine engines utilize a source of heat such as from an expansion chamber to heat a working fluid having expansion properties when heated. The working fluid is vaporized and expanded via heat energy to power turbines.
There are numerous sources of heat, one of which is as simple as a flame. The biggest challenge in creating heat energy is the source of fuel which undergoes combustion to produce the necessary temperature. Such source of fuel becomes depleted over time as the combustion thereof takes place. Therefore, a reservoir for storing therein significant amounts of fuel to maintain the engine powered must be provided. Furthermore, such reservoir occupy space and must be refilled from time-to-time. Other sources of heat include chemical reactions. A drawback with typical sources of heat energy is the limitation of the maximum achievable base temperature created by the combustion of fuel or the chemical reaction. However, in some applications, it is desirable to heat a working fuel to a very high temperature. Another drawback with known sources of heat energy is that the exhaust from the combustion of fuel or a chemical reaction are expelled into the environment.
A listing of prior patents, which may be relevant to the invention, is presented below:
The Jones (U.S. Pat. No. 1,804,694) discloses a mercury vapor turbine in which the mercury is vaporized by a flame which vaporized mercury is used to drive a turbine for powering automobiles and airplanes.
The Majkrzak (U.S. Pat. No. 3,447,314) is directed to a mercury-vapor turbo-generator used, for example to provide electrical power at a remote location. In the turbo-generator mercury in liquid form is initially heated and then super-heated by combustion exhaust gases.
The Paxton (U.S. Pat. No. 3,516,249) discloses a mercury turbine which uses a mercury boiler and mercury pump in which the mercury components are used to heat water to run a steam turbine.
The Hays et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,195) discloses an inert gas turbine engine. The invention by Hays et al. teaches the use of a combustion chamber which includes a fuel manifold connected to a fuel nozzle and an ignitor which initiates combustion within the combustion chamber. The fuel nozzle is located at the entry of the combustion chamber such that fuel can be mixed with compressed air as the air enters the combustion chamber and flows rearwardly. The ignitor then ignites the fuel and air mixture within the combustion chamber. The combusted gases within the combustion chamber will heat the expansion chamber which is in heat transfer relationship with the combustion chamber. The working fluid within the expansion chamber will then be vaporized. The increase in pressure due to the working fluid expansion will force the vaporized fluid through the turbine nozzles thereby rotating turbine wheels.
The Williams (U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,116) discloses a number of possible working fluids for his thermal energy to mechanical conversion system, including, for high temperature applications, mercury.
The Cardone et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,232) discloses the use of ammonia dissolved in water and when ammonia is dissolved in water, a great deal of heat is given off as the heat of solution, about eight and four-tenths (8.4) kilo-calories per mole, using pure reactants. The Cardone et al. patent further discloses other solvents which can be used with water.
The Robar et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,913) discloses an engine system which uses a refrigerant fluid. The system utilizes the heat from the combustion of propane fuel by means of a burner element. Robar et al. also discloses that other fuels such as natural gas, gasoline, oil or other hydrocarbon fuels may be substituted.
The Rowley (U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,059) discloses a rotary heat driven engine. The liquid refrigerant is in a boiler or power evaporator and is heated to a vapor creating pressure.
The Taylor (U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,698) discloses a inert gas turbine engine which heats a working fluid within an expansion chamber. The working fluid within the expansion chamber is heated by the combustion of compressed air and fuel within the combustion chamber. The heated working fluid within the expansion chamber rotates an expansion turbine which in turn rotates a compressor.
While each of the sources of heat energy described above function as desired, none of them disclose a high heat producing device which encapsulates in a chamber and propagates through a gaseous medium within such chamber a deflected rotating laser beam. The heat energy of the deflected rotating laser beam agitates the molecules of the fuel or gaseous medium such that the temperature of the gaseous medium or fuel increases to at least about two thousand (2,000xc2x0 F.) degrees Fahrenheit thereby increasing the temperature of the high heat producing device. In the preferred embodiment, the high heat producing device is in direct heat transfer with a working fluid in an expansion chamber for powering a turbine or the like.
As will be seen more fully below, the present invention is substantially different in structure, methodology and approach from that of the prior fire producing devices.
The preferred embodiment of the high heat producing device of the present invention solves the aforementioned problems in a straight forward and simple manner. What is provided is a high heat producing system which encapsulates in a chamber and propagates through a fuel or gaseous medium within such chamber a deflected rotating laser beam. The heat energy of the deflected rotating laser beam agitates the molecules of the gaseous medium such that the temperature of the gaseous medium increases to at least about two thousand (2,000xc2x0 F.) degrees Fahrenheit thereby increasing the temperature of the high heat producing device. In the preferred embodiment, the high heat producing device is in direct heat transfer with a working fluid in an expansion chamber for powering a turbine or the like.
The high heat producing device of the present invention comprises: an enclosure having a center axis and has free space wherein said enclosure is defined by a top surface member and a bottom surface member in parallel spaced relation and an outer perimeter surface coupled to the outer perimeter edge of said top and bottom surface members and wherein said enclosure radiates heat energy therefrom; a gaseous medium filled in said free space; a continuous beam deflecting ring member coupled to an interior surface of said outer perimeter surface; a rotating laser beam deflector coupled in a center axis of said bottom surface member; and, a laser beam source for radiating a laser beam wherein the laser beam is radiated along the center axis to the rotating laser beam deflector and is deflected to propagate the laser beam radially from the center axis through the gaseous medium to the continuous beam deflecting ring member. The laser beam agitates the molecules of the gaseous medium, and the friction between the molecules increases the heat energy.
The method of producing high heat of the present invention comprises the following steps:
providing a high heat producing system wherein the high heat producing system comprises an enclosure having a center axis and has free space wherein said enclosure is defined by a top surface member and a bottom surface member in parallel spaced relation and an outer perimeter surface coupled to the outer perimeter edge of said top and bottom surface members and wherein said enclosure radiates heat energy therefrom; a gaseous medium filled in said free space; a continuous beam deflecting ring member coupled to an interior surface of said outer perimeter surface; a rotating laser beam deflector coupled in a center axis of said bottom surface member; and, a laser beam source for radiating a laser beam wherein the laser beam is radiated along the center axis to the rotating laser beam deflector and is deflected to propagate said laser beam radially from the center axis through the gaseous medium to the continuous beam deflecting ring member;
propagating said laser beam along said center axis to said rotating laser beam deflector;
rotating said rotating laser beam deflector and simultaneously deflecting said laser beam radially from said center axis through said gaseous medium;
agitating molecules of the gaseous medium as said laser beam is propagated through said gaseous medium and creating friction between the molecules to increase the heat energy of said enclosure.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a high heat producing device which couples a relatively low voltage readily available such as from the public utility company and couples the voltage to power a laser beam source to create a laser beam.
The laser beam is propagated through a gaseous medium, such as, without limitation, mercury, to the continuous beam deflecting ring member within the laser encapsulation chamber.
In the preferred embodiment, such rotating laser beam deflector includes at least one reflective mirror angled to deflect at least one laser beam from the center axis radially outward therefrom and is rotated between eighteen hundred and thirty-six hundred (1,800-3,600 RPMs) revolutions per minute. As can be appreciated, if visually observed, a continuous illuminating heat energy field is created since the at least one laser beam is propagated to and reflected from the continuous beam deflecting ring member positioned at the outer perimeter edge of the encapsulation chamber as the rotating laser beam deflector is rotated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a high heat producing device which has application in environments which require very high heat which could not be otherwise achieved by the combustion of fuel or chemical reactions.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a high heat producing device which produces heat from the application of electric power to power a laser beam to agitate molecules of the gaseous medium and create friction therebetween to create super heat energy radiating from the encapsulation chamber.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a high heat producing device which serves the function of the combustion chamber of conventional turbine engine systems.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a high heat producing device which is receivable within an expansion chamber having filled therein a working fluid medium which has expansion properties when heated wherein the high heat producing device is in direct heat transfer relation with the working fluid medium of the expansion chamber.
The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the drawings, the description given herein, and the appended claims.